Center: Opening and Closing

Opening

The Center opens at 7:30 a.m. When opening the Center, be sure to check messages, your mailbox, sign in, and attend to any other pre-opening details. The following are duties to be shared by all opening staff, especially when a student teacher’s aide is not scheduled as part of the morning staffing:

  • Make PLAAPC, if necessary
  • Empty dishwasher
  • Put away dishes
  • Replenish paper goods
  • Make A.M. snack
  • Take inventory of supplies – Fridays

Children need to be grouped together until enough staff has arrived to divide into regular groups.

It is extremely important that staff members individually greet parents and children as they arrive. Morning “goodbyes” can be difficult for parents and children and staff needs to be sensitive to this situation. It is important to be available to ease parents and children through the transition from home to Center. 

Closing

The Center closes at 6:00 p.m. After that time, the overtime policy goes into effect. Two staff members must be at the Center even if there is only one child remaining. The Director must be called if any child is still at the Center at 6:30 p.m. and the Center has not heard from the family.

Late time activities should be quiet with lots of individual attention. It has been a long –day – longer for the children than for staff. Our children need to know that we care about being with them. They should not feel that staff members are anxious to leave.

The following duties are to be shared by all closing staff, especially when a student teachers’ aide is not scheduled as part of the afternoon staffing: 

  • Clean up toys off the floor and place them where they belong
  • *Turn off coffee pot and other appliances as necessary
  • Clean up outdoor toys and cover sandbox
  • Close any umbrellas
  • *Wash and load dishes
  • Stack chairs in the classroom
  • *Surface spray toys on the shelves (after room has been vacated)
  • *Wash toys in basket from toddler room
  • Turn off lights

* Duties that need to be done while not responsible for children, therefore should be delegated to work-study students if available. Other duties can be performed as part of the normal routine in the classroom and may be shared with children as appropriate.